Combined casket and burial vault



Ot. 18, 1932. E. G. DANN-:Ls

COME-INED GASKET AND BURIAL VAULT Filed Sept. 21. 1931 If/mm I iv i i f,

Patented' Oct.. 18,' 1932 PATENT'. OFFICE EVAN G. IIJAIWIIEIZILS,- OF LUCAS, IOWA COMBINED GASKET AND BURIAL VA'ULT Application led September 21, 1931.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved burial vault which may be constructed of comparatively cheap and .light material, in which the body or lower `part `t? of the vault may be utilized for a casket while the body is in state, and at the same time provide one member of a water tight burial vault, whereby the cover or top portion may be entirely eliminated during the l0 sition immediately before burial.

A further object is to vault improved means' or'reinforcing the vault, and in connection therewith a table for supporting the corpse and means carried by the reinforcing members for adjustably supporting saidvtable.

A further object is to provide a burial vault havin a main body portion which may be utilized or a casket and a top portion for sealing the body in such a manner that water will be tra ped against entering the interior of the cas et, whereby both the casket and .the cover may be constructed 0:?v lastic material, and in connection therewitli im roved means for reinforcing the body an cover member.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination ot' the various 30 parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevationof my improved burial vault, a portion of which 1s shown in section. y Figure 2-is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. 40 Fi re 3 is adetail sectional View taken on the llne 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure lis a perspective view of one end of the auxiliary cover.

1n the accompanying drawin l have used the reference numeral l0 to indlcate the base or bottom of my improved vault. Said base has side'members 11 and end members 12. The outer surface of the side and end members have an outwardly projecting flange or 50 rib 13 located a slight distance above the bottime the body is in state, and placed in p01 rovide in a buriall Serial No. 564,022.

tom edge of the body. An ornamental flange 14 is provided at the lower edge of said body.

That portion of the outer surface of the side and end members above the flange 13 is provided with vertical ribs 15, so that grooves my, or recesses 16 are formed between the ribs 15. Each corner of the body is also preferably provided with a vertical rib 17.

A cover 18 is also provided having its side and end edges provided with a downwardly @a extending Harige 19. The lower edge of the flange 19 terminates a slight distance above the iiangelv to leave an air space 20. The

inner surface of the flange 19 is provided with vertical ribs 21 supported in alinement with @a the vertical ribs l5 to form recesses 22.

' The parts are so arranged that when the cover 18 is placed in position, the ribs 15 register with the ribs 21, and the recess 16 with v the recesses 22, to form air pockets 23. The zu upper ends ofthe air pockets 23 communicate with the interior of the body, and the lower ends of said air pockets communicate with'the space 20.

By this arrangement it will be seen that if 75, the cover 18 is placed in position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and if the vault should become partially or wholly submerged in water, then water will enter the space 20 and rise in the air pockets 23, causing the lower end of u said pockets to be sealed as the level'of the water rises and water to enter said pockets and lcause air to be expelled and delivered to the interior of the vault, thereby increasing the air pressure within the vault to such ex- .35 tent that if the vault is buried at a normal depth, then water will not enter the interior of the vault, dueto the fact that the air pressure within the water is greater than the weight of the water supported outside the @a vault.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the cover may be quite loosely fitted, and that no packing is necessary for sealing the vault.

f The main body of the vault, as well as the at cover is preferably formed of plastic material, especially prepared for this purpose,

which is lighter than cement or concrete.

In order to reduce the weight of the main body of the vault without materiallyldecreas- 10o ing its resistance against crushing due to the wei t and pressure of dirt, I have provided in t e body member a number of reinforcing bars 24 preferably formed of small channel irons, and having a horizontal portion 25 resting at the base of the body and vertical end members 26. r1`he upper ends of the members 26 terminate near or slightly above the top edge of the side and end members 11 and'12. The cover 18 is also provided with transversely arranged reinforcing bars 27, which are preferably formed of channel iron, having their ends terinating adjacent to the inner edges of the u per ends of the members 26, in the manner c early illustrated in Figure 2, so that the ends of the members 27 will rest against the upper ends of the members 26 to support the'sides 11 against inward movement. The members 27 also reinforce Ithe top 18 against bending, and assist in may be elevated or lowered, so that the table 28 ma be carried at various elevations. If desire one side of the table may be supported above the other, or one end above the other end by the proper manipulation of the pins 31.

Supported in the upper end of the body I have provided an auxiliary cover 32. The edges of the cover 32 are referably provided with downwardly exten ing flanges 33, said flan es resting insuitable grooves 34 formed in t e upper edge of the' slde and end4 members. Thecover 32 is preferably formed o f thin sheet metal, which may be covered with an desired finishing material, such as cloth.

ne end of the cover 32 has an openin 34 through which the head and shoulders o4 .the corpse may be viewed without removing the cover, and without the use of glass or similar material. The cover 32 rests in the grooves in such a manner that it may be easily and'quickly removed or placed in position without tools or fastening devices.

Supported in front and back recesses 16 of each side is a handle 35, which provides means whereby the main body of the vault may be carried when the cover 18 is removed, and at the time the body of the vault being used as a casket. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a combined casket and burial vault which is comparatively simple and which may be It will further be seen that I have proi l vided means whereby the casket may be converted into a water tight vault by simply placing the loosely fitted cover in osition.

0n account of the cover and ody being `constructed with vertically arranged air pockets, it will be seen that all expensive and exact machine work or other close fitting parts are eliminated, thus providing a vault which may be very cheaply constructed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A burial vault comprising a water and air tight body portion havingv side and end members, a cover having its edges provided with a downwardly extendin flange overlapping the upper end of the si e and end members, the adjacent surface of said overlapping portions being luted to form vertical air pockets having their lower ends communicating with the exterior surface of said vault, and their upper ends with the interior thereof, whereby water submerging the vault will cause a displacement of air within said pockets and a pressure created in said vault to exclude water therefrom.

. 2. A burial vault comprising a water and air tight body portion having side and end members a cover having its edges provided with a downwardly extending flange overlapping the up r end of the side and end members, the a jacent surface of/said overlapping portions bein luted to" form ver-A tical a1r pockets having their lower ends communicatin with the exterior surface of said vault, an their u per ends with the interior thereof, I,where y water submerging the vault will cause a displacement of air within said pockets and a pressure created in said vault to exclude water therefrom,

the inner surface of said bod having upright reinforcing bars, the un er surface of said cover having Atransversely arranged reinforcing bars supported with theirends in contact withthe inner edges of the upper` ends of said vertical reinforcing bars.

3. A burial vault comprising a water and air tight body portion having side and end members, a cover havingits edges provided with a downwardlyrextending -flange overlapping the upper end of the side and end members, theadjacent surface of said overlapping portions being iiuted to form vertical air pockets' having their lower ends communicating with the exterior surfaceof said vault, and their upper ends with the interior thereof, whereby water submerging 1,ssa,eoo

the vault will cause a 'displacement of air within said pockets and a pressure created in said vault to exclude water therefrom, the inner surface of said bod having upright reinforcing bars, the un er surface o said cover having transversel arranged reinforcing bars supported with7 their ends Iin `contact with the inner edges of the upper ends of said vertical reinforcing bars, pinsy adjustablymounted in a number of said verti cal reinforcing bars, and a table carried by said pins.

4. A burial vault comprising-a base havi ing upright side and end members, reinforcing bars projecting transversely of the said base having their ends terminating in upright reinforcing bars supported ad acent pto the inner surface of said side mem ers and their upper ends terminating near the top edge thereof, a cover having its edges provided with a flange overlapping the side and in and a, in for each set of openings, a ta le carrie by said pins. y

7. A burial vault comprising a casket portion and a cover portion, the side and end edges of said cover 'having a downwardly extending ange overlapping the outer surface yof the upper end of said casket, the adjacent surface of said casket and said cover being uted vertically to form air pockets, the ribs of one fluted surface being in contact with the ribs of-the other uted portion.

EVAN G. DANIELS.

end members, said cover having transversely arranged reinforcing bars With their ends in contact with the inner surface of the upper ends of said upright reinforcing bars.

5. A burial vault comprising a water and face of said body having upright reinforcing bars, the under surface of said cover having transversely arranged reinforcingbars supportedwith their ends in contact withfthe inner edges of the upper ends of said vertical reqmforcing bars, pins adjustably mounted in a number of vsaid vertical reinforcing bars,

a table carried by said pins, and an auxiliary cover carried/by the upper ends of said side and end members, said cover having an opening at one end. j

6. A burial v ault comprising a base having upright side and end members, reinforcing bars projecting transversely of the said base having their ends terminating in u'pright reinforcing .bars supported adjacent to the inner surface of'said side members and their upper ends terminating near the top edge thereof, a cover having its edges pro` vided with a flange overlapping the side and end members, said cover having transversely arranged reinforcing bars with their ends in I contact with the inner surface of the upper ends of said upri ht reinforcin bars, some of said uprlght reinforcing bars aving open- 

